Skyvern Browser Automation -- CLI Judgment Procedure

Skyvern uses AI to navigate and interact with websites. Every command below is a runnable skyvern <command> invocation.

Step 1: Classify Your Task (ALWAYS do this first)

| Classification | Signal | CLI Command | Cost | What Happens | |---|---|---|---|---| | Quick check (yes/no) | "is the user logged in?" | skyvern browser validate | 1 LLM + screenshots | Lightweight validation (2 steps max), returns boolean. Cheapest AI option. | | Quick inspection | "what does the page show?" | skyvern browser extract | 1 LLM + screenshots | Dedicated extraction LLM + schema validation + caching. | | Single action (known target) | "click #submit" | skyvern browser click/type | 0 LLM | Deterministic Playwright. No AI. Fastest. | | Single action (unknown target) | "click the submit button" | skyvern browser act | 2-3 LLM, no screenshots | No screenshots in reasoning. Economy a11y tree. For visual targets, use hybrid mode (selector + intent). | | Same-page multi-step | "fill the form and submit" | skyvern browser act or primitive chain | 2-3 LLM or 0 LLM | Use act when labels are clear. Use click/type/select directly when you know selectors. | | Throwaway autonomous trial | "try this once", "see if this works" | skyvern browser run-task | Higher | One-off autonomous agent for exploration. Do not use for recurring or multi-page production automations. | | Multi-page or reusable automation | "navigate a multi-page wizard", "set this up", "automate this weekly" | skyvern workflow create + run | N LLM + screenshots | Build a workflow with one block per step. Each block gets visual reasoning, verification, and reusable run history. |

MCP note: if you are using the Skyvern MCP instead of the CLI, prefer observe + execute for same-page multi-step UI work. The CLI does not expose that pair directly.

Step 2: Apply These Decision Rules

1. If the prompt includes a selector, id, XPath, or exact field target, use browser primitives -- not act.
2. If you only need a yes/no answer, use validate -- not extract or act.
3. If the work stays on one page and labels are clear, use act or a primitive chain.
4. If the user says try this once, see if this works, or clearly wants a one-off exploratory trial, use run-task.
5. If the task spans multiple pages and is meant to be reusable, scheduled, repeatable, or explicitly set up as automation, use workflow create.
6. Never type passwords. Always use stored credentials with skyvern browser login.

Step 3: Create a Session

Every browser command needs a session. Create one first:

bash
# Cloud session (default -- works for public URLs)
skyvern browser session create --timeout 30

# Local session (for localhost URLs or self-hosted mode)
skyvern browser session create --local --timeout 30

# Connect to existing browser via CDP
skyvern browser session connect --cdp "ws://localhost:9222"

Session state persists between commands. After session create, subsequent commands auto-attach. Override with --session pbs_.... Close when done: skyvern browser session close.

Step 4: Execute by Classification

Quick check (yes/no)

bash
skyvern browser validate --prompt "Is the user logged in? Look for a dashboard or avatar."

Returns true/false. Cheapest AI option -- prefer over extract or act for boolean checks.

Quick inspection

bash
skyvern browser extract \
  --prompt "Extract all product names and prices" \
  --schema '{"type":"object","properties":{"items":{"type":"array","items":{"type":"object","properties":{"name":{"type":"string"},"price":{"type":"string"}}}}}}'

Uses screenshots + dedicated extraction LLM. Better than screenshot+read because Skyvern's LLM interprets the page.

Single action (known target)

bash
skyvern browser click --selector "#submit-btn"
skyvern browser type --text "user@co.com" --selector "#email"
skyvern browser select --value "US" --intent "the country dropdown"

Deterministic. No AI. Three targeting modes:

1. Intent: --intent "the Submit button" (AI finds element)
2. Selector: --selector "#submit-btn" (CSS/XPath, deterministic)
3. Hybrid: both (selector narrows, AI confirms)

Single action (unknown target)

bash
skyvern browser act --prompt "Click the Sign In button"
skyvern browser act --prompt "Close the cookie banner, then click Sign In"

Warning: act has NO screenshots in its LLM reasoning. It uses an economy accessibility tree. Fine for well-labeled elements. For visually complex targets, use MCP observe+click or hybrid mode.

Same-page multi-step

bash
skyvern browser act --prompt "Fill the shipping form and click Continue"

Use act when the fields and buttons are clearly labeled and the flow stays on one page. If you need tighter control, break the work into click, type, select, press-key, and wait.

Throwaway autonomous trial

bash
skyvern browser run-task \
  --url "https://example.com" \
  --prompt "Check whether the checkout flow works end to end and extract the confirmation number"

Use run-task to prove feasibility or do one-off exploration. If the task becomes important enough to rerun, debug, or share, convert it to a workflow.

Multi-page or reusable automation — build a workflow with one block per step

bash
skyvern workflow create --definition @checkout-workflow.yaml
skyvern workflow run --id wpid_123 --wait
skyvern workflow status --run-id wr_789

Each navigation block runs with visual reasoning + verification. Split complex flows into multiple blocks (one per page/step). First run uses AI; subsequent runs replay cached scripts.

Repeated/production

bash
skyvern workflow create --definition @workflow.yaml
skyvern workflow run --id wpid_123 --params '{"email":"user@co.com"}'
skyvern workflow status --run-id wr_789

Split into one block per step. Use navigation blocks for actions, extraction for data. First run uses AI; subsequent runs replay a cached script (10-100x faster). Set --run-with agent to force AI mode for debugging.

Step 5: Verify

Always verify after page-changing actions:

bash
skyvern browser screenshot                          # visual check
skyvern browser validate --prompt "Was the form submitted successfully?"  # boolean assertion
skyvern browser evaluate --expression "document.title"                    # JS state check

Step 6: Error Recovery

| Problem | Fix | |---------|-----| | Action clicked wrong element | Add context to prompt. Use hybrid mode (selector + intent). | | Extraction returns empty | Wait for content. Relax required fields. Check row count first. | | Login passes but next step fails | Ensure same session. Add post-login validate check. | | Element not found | Add wait: skyvern browser wait --selector "#el" --state visible | | Overloaded prompt | Split into smaller goals -- one intent per command. |

Credentials

NEVER type passwords through skyvern browser type or act. Always use stored credentials:

bash
skyvern credentials add --name "my-login" --type password --username "user@co.com"
skyvern credential list                          # find the credential ID
skyvern browser login --url "https://login.example.com" --credential-id cred_123

Types: password, credit_card, secret. Also supports bitwarden, 1password, and azure_vault providers.

Workflow Quick Reference

bash
skyvern workflow create --definition @workflow.yaml   # create
skyvern workflow run --id wpid_123 --wait             # run and wait
skyvern workflow status --run-id wr_789               # check status
skyvern workflow list --search "invoice"              # find workflows
skyvern block schema --type navigation                # discover block types
skyvern block validate --block-json @block.json       # validate before creating

Engine: known path = 1.0 (default). Dynamic planning = 2.0. Split into multiple 1.0 blocks when in doubt. Status lifecycle: created -> queued -> running -> completed | failed | canceled | terminated | timed_out

Common Patterns

Login flow:

bash
skyvern credential list                          # find credential ID
skyvern browser session create
skyvern browser navigate --url "https://login.example.com"
skyvern browser login --url "https://login.example.com" --credential-id cred_123
skyvern browser validate --prompt "Is the user logged in?"
skyvern browser screenshot

Pagination loop:

bash
skyvern browser extract --prompt "Extract all rows"
skyvern browser validate --prompt "Is there a Next button that is not disabled?"
# If true:
skyvern browser act --prompt "Click the Next page button"
# Repeat extraction. Stop when: no next button, duplicate first row, or max page limit.

Debugging:

bash
skyvern browser screenshot                       # visual state
skyvern browser evaluate --expression "document.title"
skyvern browser evaluate --expression "document.querySelectorAll('table tr').length"

Agent Mode

All commands accept --json for structured output. Set SKYVERN_NON_INTERACTIVE=1 to prevent prompts. Use skyvern capabilities --json for full command discovery. See references/agent-mode.md.

Deep-Dive References

| Reference | Content | |-----------|---------| | references/prompt-writing.md | Prompt templates and anti-patterns | | references/engines.md | When to use tasks vs workflows | | references/schemas.md | JSON schema patterns for extraction | | references/pagination.md | Pagination strategy and guardrails | | references/block-types.md | Workflow block type details with examples | | references/parameters.md | Parameter design and variable usage | | references/ai-actions.md | AI action patterns and examples | | references/precision-actions.md | Intent-only, selector-only, hybrid modes | | references/credentials.md | Credential naming, lifecycle, safety | | references/sessions.md | Session reuse and freshness decisions | | references/common-failures.md | Failure pattern catalog with fixes | | references/screenshots.md | Screenshot-led debugging workflow | | references/status-lifecycle.md | Run status states and guidance | | references/rerun-playbook.md | Rerun procedures and comparison | | references/complex-inputs.md | Date pickers, uploads, dropdowns | | references/tool-map.md | Complete tool inventory by outcome | | references/cli-parity.md | CLI/MCP mapping and agent-aware features | | references/quick-start-patterns.md | Quick start examples, common patterns, and workflow templates |